Infinityglass (Hourglass 3)

“Shut up.” The growl came from deep in my chest, and my fists ached for Poe’s face. “You apologize. Right now, you son of a—”

“It’s okay.” Hallie put her hand on my arm.

“No, it isn’t,” I argued, but I dialed down the testosterone.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Hallie asked Poe. She had to raise her voice to be heard over the now churning paddle wheels. “You’re supposed to be my best friend.”

“Sweetheart, I’m your only friend. And what a sorry pair we are. Or were,” he said, giving me the once-over. “As the case may be. Seems you’ve gone tropical.”

I just smiled. He could insult me all he wanted, but if he breathed too close to Hallie, I was going to take him out.

“There’s nothing wrong with me, Hallie. I survive. Good or bad, right or wrong, your mother is my best chance. It’s not as bad as all that, is it? At least we’ll be together.” Turning to Teague, he said, “You want me to take out four, yeah?” He leaned over and slid his knife out of his boot.

Hallie shuddered.

Teague smiled. “All four.”

“Who’s here?”

ned around.

Not rips.

Dune.

Dune

If I made one misstep, I could unleash the power of the Mississippi and kill us all.

Water. Nothing but molecules—hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The compound that made up more than half of every human on the planet, including me. Liquid matter that could bend to my will. My will.

I focused on exactly where the veil hung in the atmosphere.

“Dune. Dune!”

Hallie.

I held a finger up to my lips. Teague was too far away to hear Hallie’s whispers, but I didn’t want to take any chances.

“You’re on a boat,” she whispered. “In the river. And you’re fine. How?”

“Because you’re on a boat in the river, and I have to be fine to help you get back to dry land.”

Her eyes softened, and in that moment, I wanted to touch her more than I wanted to breathe.

“Hal, I have an idea, but we don’t have a lot of time, so you have to trust me.”

“Tell me what to do.”

“Don’t look at me, for starters.”

She focused on the dock as I briefly explained the plan. “I’m going to try to guide Teague into a veil using the river.”

Hallie’s eyes went wide. “You’re going to use your ability.”

“I don’t see any other options, and I’m going to need your help. Teague has Cat’s exotic matter. I need you to try to get the necklace off. It’s the missing ingredient to get her into the veil.”

“I’ll try.” She straightened, and I flattened myself out against the side of the cabin seconds before Teague said her name.